Entries for May 2014

The Hawaii Office of Elections has released its candidate report for the week ending May 23, 2014....

No Republican is now challenging corruption-tainted Rep Rida Cabanilla ....

The Hawaii Republican Party meeting in convention on May 17, 2014, adopted eight platform resolutions including one calling for Jones Act reform....

A federal court has struck down a race-based voting scheme in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands....

The six layers of land use controls ....

The problems emerging from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are deeper than corruption and mismanagement....

Yesterday, the IRS announced it would hold off until next year on new rules that would have restricted the activities of nonprofit groups....

...HECO released an RFP in March for 800,000 tons of containerized LNG per year over 15 years, beginning in 2016 or 2017....

...Abercrombie today announced the release of more than $46 million for various capital improvement projects....

The program is intended to serve 420 children who qualify based on income....

...Honolulu City Council’s Committee on Public Works and Sustainability held a hearing yesterday to discuss a proposal to expand the existing ban to include biodegradable bags....

"I join the Obama administration in urging Thailand’s armed forces to return power to democratic institutions.”

Many lawmakers would like to know why the U.S. is contributing to a lower cost of living in China, while continuing to encourage high costs of living in the non-contiguous U.S. states and possessions....

...Cabanilla – the only representative to leave the floor to avoid voting on same sex marriage – still has no real opposition....

Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony at 10 a.m., Monday, at the Post Cemetery....

Our Convention was a great kick-off to what is sure to be a successful campaign season for Republicans, and was followed by Duke Aiona's Monday morning announcement of his candidacy for Governor....

Senator Slom addresses issues facing Hawaii and our State government....

...it costs nearly twice as much to produce as natural gas....

...Parents are right to complain about curricula or tests they don’t like, Lingle said. “But that’s not what the Common Core is.”....

Several recent news stories highlight the troubling irony of so-called free speech zones....

The Hawaii State Legislature has adjourned for the year. Once again, no restrictive firearms bills passed....

...During the test, a simulated ballistic missile target was acquired, tracked and engaged by the Aegis Weapon System. At approximately 7:35 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time....

...16.0 percent of seniors with a college education are physically inactive compared to 50.2 percent of seniors with less than a high school education....

Finding the best candidates far outweighs the Regents excuses for why they are only left with two candidates....

In Malulani Group, Ltd. v. Kaupo Ranch, Ltd., No. 30509 (May 5, 2014), the issue was whether the owner of a landlocked parcel could assert an easement....

Felix Gee Wan Tom, age 40, of Honolulu, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Judge Susan Oki Mollway....

The Washington Post has inside sources providing all sorts of juicy details on this problem....

...U.S. Supreme Court held that town council meetings could open with a prayer without violating the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause....

...the constant, negative sniping at the HRP is counter productive and helps no one....

Grassroot Institute Akaka Bill to Native Roll video ....

“Bad news is piling up for Governor Abercrombie’s Hawaii Health Connector."

...while older residents age 65+ comprise 13.7 percent of our population, they accounted for nearly 42 percent of pedestrian fatalities across Hawaii....

The CMS says it will continue to be flexible with states....

... if any Republican can succeed in the Aloha State, it could be Fukumoto ....

Myth:  Most Hawaiians want a separate political nation for advancement....

Saying that something helps small businesses is a great way to gain public support for your cause. Except when it’s not true....

...The domestic build requirement for tanker ships, in particular, has been identified as contributing to higher costs in moving domestic crude oil along the coasts....

...our state has veered off course over the past four years with entrenched politicians who cater to special interests....

... OHA sends out an old-news press release while the Trustees hash it out with Crabbe .... 

Turtle Bay vividly demonstrates the difference in problem solving between gubernatorial candidate Senator David Ige and Governor Neil Abercrombie....

...journalists in the group — including Ian Lind, Denby Fawcett, Ikaika Hussey and Daryl Huff — had to agree not to report about what was said or who said what during the entire process....

"there are other issues we should be working on rather than building this government that is not going to work.” -- Oz Stender January, 2014

...should the government expand from providing old-age entitlement benefits to controlling personal retirement investments as well?

"...we wrote to our congressional delegation and were told, in no uncertain terms, that we would not be able to secure it...."

SHAKA posted the voter registration of Maui voters online.  It included people’s names and addresses....

I propose that OHA abandon its role in nation building. That means cancelling the proposed ‘Aha and reducing the scope of activities of our Washington D.C. office....

...something remarkable happened in the last days of our legislative session....