June 19, 2009 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Friday, June 19, 2009

June 19, 2009 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 2:56 AM :: 12766 Views

U.S. Fortifies Hawaii to Meet Threat From Korea

Mr. Gates told reporters that the U.S. is positioning a sophisticated floating radar array in the ocean around Hawaii to track an incoming missile. The U.S. is also deploying missile-defense weapons to Hawaii that would theoretically be capable of shooting down a North Korean missile, should such an order be given, he said.

"We do have some concerns if they were to launch a missile...in the direction of Hawaii," Mr. Gates said. "We are in a good position, should it become necessary, to protect American territory."

SB: Line of defense , Hawaii needs China to corral North Korea Advertiser: U.S. MOVES TO PROTECT HAWAII

Obama tied to Ayers ... at age 11: Anti-military congregation attended as boy in Hawaii linked to radical's organization

While Obama's membership as an adult in the controversial Trinity United Church of Christ has received widespread media attention, almost nothing has been reported about his Sunday school attendance at First Unitarian, a far-left activist church that may have helped provide the president's initial political education.

First Unitarian, a member of the Unitarian Universalist denomination, served as a sanctuary for draft dodgers and was strongly tied to the Students for a Democratic Society, or SDS, during the time Weatherman radical Bill Ayers was a leader in that organization. The Weathermen was an offshoot of the SDS.

Andrew Walden, publisher and editor of the Hawaii Free Press, dug up newspaper clippings from that period as well as print editions of "The Roach," an SDS publication describing the group's draft-dodging activism, including at the Unitarian church.

Hawaii plans to cut 66 precincts to reduce election expenses (down to 273)

The state Office of Elections is proposing eliminating 66 voting precincts statewide for next year's elections in an effort to cut costs. The cuts, which amount to a 19 percent reduction from the 339 precincts used in last year's election, could lead to increased lines at voter precincts, create election-day confusion and generally make it less convenient for residents to vote. (Thus likely increasing turnout--since everything that makes voting easier reduces turnout.)

Lingle seeks cut in workweek

Although public worker union representatives were not available for comment yesterday afternoon, three of the four unions have filed suit in Circuit Court, contending that the furloughs are illegal or violate the state Constitution.

The fourth union, the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, has filed a grievance protesting the cuts.

Lingle said if they are successful in blocking furloughs, she will be forced to lay off workers.

"If the furloughs are not implemented, the state would have to lay off at least 2,500 executive branch employees to make up the projected revenue shortfall," said Lingle, who originally projected 10,000 layoffs.

She repeated her warning that state department heads are already working on lists of workers to be laid off and how to handle closing certain state programs.

Advertiser: Hawaii furloughs will close some state offices on Fridays

RELATED ARTICLES YOU WON'T SEE IN HAWAII PAPERS: "Funemplyment: The beauty and joy of being out of work" (These are leftover from a failed media attempt to put positive spin on the Obama depression. Amusing to read in light of the agit-prop surrounding Hawaii furloughs.)

Inexperienced backbencher McKelvey calls for emergency session

(Read on as the more experienced Democrats have to explain why they want Lingle to take the hit on this.)

However, Wailuku state Rep. Joe Souki said he thought House and Senate Democrats should meet and caucus extensively before calling themselves into a special session.

"I would love to see that (a special session)," Souki said, but "what do you want to do? There's not too many alternatives available."

Other cost-saving measures were put in place, but the $729 million shortfall surfaced after state lawmakers passed a balanced budget and after the state Council on Revenues issued another lower projection, Souki pointed out.

"Are you willing to bite the bullet and raise taxes?" Souki asked, adding that he sees no public outcry for raising taxes. "I don't believe there's the political will to raise taxes at this point."

He said there could be a combination of raising taxes, furloughing employees and laying off others. "All this is not going to be done in two or three weeks," he said.

Souki said Democratic lawmakers need to have a "very long caucus . . . to decide what to do."

For now, it's up to Lingle.

"She needs to make the tough call," Souki said. "Unless we have something better than that . . . then what?"

Clearing air on budget and real property taxes (Anderson nails Mufia, SB)

It is absolutely unconscionable that the administration, and your paper, can support creating a false surplus by inflating real property tax rates, and then turn around and refund part of the so-called surplus while keeping a $1 million windfall. The city administration, and your editorial, failed to point out these facts to your readers. Furthermore, the administration implies that the tax credit is an annual offering. This is simply not true..

Hawaii school board approves locker searches, anti-drug dogs

The state Board of Education last night voted 8-4 to approve controversial changes to the public school system's disciplinary rules, including allowing for suspicionless locker searches and drug-sniffing dogs.

The four members who voted no were board chairman Garrett Toguchi, vice chairwoman Lei Ahu Isa, Carol Mon Lee and Kim Coco Iwamoto. Breene Harimoto was absent.

The policy will be reviewed by the state attorney general and must be signed by Gov. Linda Lingle before it can ~~take effect~~ (be declared unconstitutional by the courts in response to Mr Iwamoto's ACLU buddies).

SB: BOE votes to allow drug-sniffing dogs

UPDATE: Hawaii Department of Education 'Trim the Fat' Contest Exposing Millions in Waste

Already dozens of entries received, largely from DOE employees:

So far, citizens have submitted ideas such as the following:

· Hold training workshops in school facilities, not fancy hotels

· Transform Wailupe Valley Elementary School to a DOE Central Autism School

· Ask for volunteers to reduce their working hours before imposing furloughs on everyone

· Eliminate all DOE travel

· Investigate possibly fraudulent workers compensation claims

· Enact an optional telecommuting educational program

· Let offices carry money over to the next fiscal year, to avoid wasteful last-minute spending

Scope faces critic$ in Hilo

More than 150 people heard impassioned speeches Wednesday night in Hilo on a proposal to bring the Thirty Meter Telescope to the Big Island.
Much of it was negative, in stark contrast to Tuesday night's meeting in Waimea. While the first four speakers in Waimea spoke glowingly of bringing the advanced observatory to Hawaii, the first six speakers in Hilo all slammed the idea. But as the night wore on, more people spoke in favor of the project. The meeting was still ongoing as of press time, with 14 in favor of the telescope and 14 against.

Sunshine Law violation by council may have repercussions (new life to Jacobson)

In the Hawaii County Council case, almost all of the council members met either in person or by telephone to discuss a reorganization that removed Kohala Councilman Pete Hoffmann as council vice chairman and stripped South Kona Councilwoman Brenda Ford and Hamakua Councilman Dominic Yagong of their committee chairmanships.
The actions spurred a flurry of community reaction Wednesday, with at least one resident saying he's filed a complaint with the state Office of Information Practices.
"They were very receptive when I spoke with them," said Puna resident James Weatherford, an aide to former Councilman Bob Jacobson. "It's really shameful."

RELATED: Hawaii Tribune Herald

Money in-Money out (another hit by Jacobson's backers)

Honolulu developer/defense contractor Patrick Shin served 12 days in prison in a federal detention center and paid a $100,000 fine for falsely inflating a repair contract at Pearl Harbor by $380,000.
Nan, Inc., the construction company that Shin founded and owns, was forced to sever its ties with him for one and a half years in order to keep its lucrative government contracts.

But Shin doesn’t just take from the government. He also gives to politicians. During the last election cycle, he gave $500 to Guy Enriques’ successful run for the Hawaii County Council; $2,300 to Sen. Daniel Inouye’s reelection campaign, and $2,300 to Republican Charles Kong’s failed campaign for the federal House of Representatives. He hedged his bets on the presidential race by giving $4,600 each to Hillary Clinton and Barrack Obama.

Kauai Mayor’s father arrested for harassing political opponents

Iseri-Carvalho’s husband, Destry Iseri-Carvalho — cousin to the mayor and a nephew of Bernard P. Carvalho Sr. — filed the harassment complaint after enduring repeated verbal attacks from his uncle after the Iseri-Carvalho family supported Mel Rapozo rather than Carvalho in the 2008 race to serve the final two years of late Mayor Bryan Baptiste’s term, according to Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho, speaking as the wife of the complainant and not as the county prosecutor.

State GOP asked to stop supporting Aiona campaign

In a brusque letter to the state Republican Party, Eric Ryan, the manager of longtime Honolulu lawyer John Carroll's campaign, urged the removal of flyers, signs and other materials that indicate sole support for Aiona.

Aiona's campaign finance director also should be ousted from office space at party headquarters, even though Aiona's campaign pays for it, Ryan stated in his letter to newly elected state GOP Chairman Jonah Kaauwai.

Aiona's finance director is Miriam Hellreich, long a member of the Republican National Committee from Hawaii and formerly Gov. Linda Lingle's chief fundraiser.

"A trip to party HQ reveals what appears to be an extension of Aiona's campaign HQ," Ryan wrote. "The party leadership has made Aiona's campaign appear to be the chosen gubernatorial campaign for 2010. This approach is and has been in violation of party rules."

(RNC rule 11-a: "The Republican National Committee shall not, without the prior written and filed approval of all members of the Republican National Committee from the state involved, contribute money or in-kind aid to any candidate for any public or party office except the nominee of the Republican Party or a candidate who is unopposed in the Republican primary after the filing deadline for that office." Aiona does have the written support of all three RNC members from Hawaii.)

RELATED: KPUA AM670 Hilo

Carroll Cox: The environmental watchdog is always on the lookout for wrongdoing (SB preps a candidate?)

The 56-year-old Mililani resident grew up in the Mississippi Delta during the Jim Crow era, and the overpowering injustice of those days motivates him still, to question authority, stand up for the little guy and preserve the Hawaiian environment he has cherished since moving to Oahu in 1989.

Question: You're involved in so many issues. How would you describe yourself?

Answer: Just as a caring citizen, protecting people's freedoms and justice, and protecting the environment ...

(sounds like SB is preparing Cox to run for office)