Entries for 'News Release'

“Our concerns have only intensified following our debriefing meeting with the City last Monday and as we thoroughly reviewed the documents that were made available to us."

• Senate: Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act of 2011
• Senate: To ban EPA regulation of greenhouse gas emissions
• House: Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011
• House: Net Neutrality Disapproval
• House: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Amendments, 2011

Obama declared the damage sustained from the March 11, 2011 tsunami a major disaster, which enables the State of Hawai'i to receive federal funding for repairs

The new agreement with the HGEA will increase state labor costs by at least $65 million a year, the House Republican Caucus announced. And the agreement gives state workers up to 9 additional paid days off of work per year.  This comes on top of 13 days paid vacation and 21 days of sick leave per year.

Governor Neil Abercrombie today announced that more than 50 Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) have been initiated as part of his New Day Works Projects to create jobs and stimulate the economy....

Hanabusa, Hirono oppose House continuing resolution which keeps the federal government operating and ensures federal employees will receive a paycheck, including those of our military men and woman serving in harm’s way ....

 A poll done for the Daily Kos by Public Policy Polling showed that Abercrombie is down to a 48% approval rating. This is after receiving almost 58% of the vote last November.  In addition, this poll seems to have under-sampled Republicans ....

Details of the two-year contract from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2013 include:

• An equal contribution (50/50) for public workers’ health benefits between public employees and the State and county governments 
• A 5 percent reduction in base pay for public employees without furlough days or layoffs

Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald appointed Lanson K. Kupau, Melanie Mito May and Dean E. Ochiai to the District Court and Catherine H. Remigio to the District Family Court of the First Circuit (Oahu).

The HTA forecasts moderate growth in total scheduled nonstop air seats to Hawaii in the second quarter .....

Rep. Gene Ward (R-Hawaii Kai – Kalama Valley) today issued a warning to the public not to believe the latest threats by the Senate as well as the Hawaii’s public labor unions that an increase in the general excise tax (GET) is the only option on the table.

Lingle froze most state hiring, put a stop to state travel and told her department heads to refrain from non-essential equipment purchases and supplies.

Urging Abercrombie to do the same, House GOP also recommended Abercrombie delay his proposed budget increases, which would bring the state’s two year operating budget to $23 billion.

Despite the efforts of the American Association of Retired Persons, Rep. Barbara Marumoto and dozens of individuals, bills to tax pension income continue to progress through the Hawaii State Legislature.

The Department of the Attorney General released its annual report detailing state firearm registration statistics for Calendar Year 2010.

 Hawaii led the nation in the number of businesses owned by Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders in 2007, according to new findings from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2007 Survey of Business Owners.

Governor Neil Abercrombie today announced the appointment of Kaua'i Councilman Derek S.K. Kawakami to represent House District 14 in the State House.

• House: The HAMP Termination Act of 2011
• House: Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act
• House: FAA Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2011
• House: Government Shutdown Prevention Act

 “Hawaii is already the second most expensive travel destination in the country and the recent disaster in Japan has made it even more difficult for Hawaii to compete in the tourism market,” said Thomas Jones, president of Gyotaku Restaurants ....

Waialua High School robotics team competed again today at the Las Vegas Regional among 39 teams from across the country.  Waialua finished as a Regional Finalist and was recognized with two awards....

Abercrombie today announced his appointments for the Board of Regents of the University of Hawai'i (UH) and the Board of Governors to East-West Center....

The Hawaii Republican Party filed an ethics complaint against Honolulu City Councilman Nestor Garcia for failure to comply with ethics rules.  HRP will also call upon Garcia to step aside as Council Chair pending the investigation.

Abercrombie today announced the appointment of Mary Alice Evans as Deputy Director to the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism....

We strongly believe that no one should be able to tell the people of Hawaii that they have no choice but to raise taxes. There are choices and these worksheets provide real numbers taken from real budgets.

The Board’s duties include overseeing the Office of Disciplinary Counsel, which investigates allegations of attorney misconduct and incapacity, and recommending appropriate action to the Hawaii Supreme Court.

"...because of an unresolved situation with my law firm, I have decided to withdraw my nomination to prevent any distraction for the Abercrombie Administration and disruption for my family.”

Governor Neil Abercrombie today announced his appointments to the new Board of Education (BOE).  The board consists of nine members – three from O'ahu, three at-large, and one each from Hawai'i Island, Maui and Kaua'i. 

The bill language makes the false claim that HPV vaccination results in "few or no side effects" when, in fact, there have been documented serious adverse effects worldwide, including many deaths. HPV screening prior to vaccination is not routinely done.

...right now, our main concern is for the Japanese people and helping them recover from this tragedy. We encourage others to join us in supporting the 'Aloha for Japan' fundraising efforts....

It has been almost eight years since the wars on terrorism began. Between March 29, 2003, and Dec. 31, 2010, we in Hawaii have lost 284 service members.

This year, we formally induct 16 service members into the roll for the Hawaii Medal of Honor. All 16 gave their lives for our freedoms in 2010.

This is the prepared text of Rep Tom Brower invocation given today before the State House.  Question: Which god is he invoking?

Waialua High, McKinley High and Kealakehe High School robotics teams won this year’s FIRST in Hawai‘i Regional Robotics Competition, qualifying them to move on to the 2011 FIRST Robotics Championship at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Missouri, April 27-30. 

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Hawaii jumps one spot to the top of the list this month. Leisure travellers are taking advantage of recent airfare sales to Honolulu, driving hotel demand and increasing rates....

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Residents and business owners should report any damage to their property, home or business to Aloha United Way by dialing 2-1-1 (Monday through Friday) or to the State Civil Defense toll free line at 855-211-7456 (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday).

The Commission on Water Resource Management is extending its nomination period until Wednesday, April 6, 2011.  The original application period (October 17 - November 22, 2010) ended before Governor Neil Abercrombie took office.

The Hawaiian Homes Commission gave final approval to a general lease agreement allowing Hawaii DeBartolo LLC to develop 67 acres for the Ka Makana Ali‘i Center in East Kapolei. Under the agreed upon terms, Hawaii DeBartolo will pay more than $140 million in rent, over the course of 65 years, to DHHL for use of the land.

Democrat members of two House Committees voted to gut a bill that would have helped parents buy school supplies for their children and inserted language to legalize gambling in Hawaii.

SB 755, which started as a proposal by Senator Carol Fukunaga to help school-age children, was completely rewritten behind closed doors.  Further, the bill was allowed to pass without the standard 48 hour notice to give the public time to comment on this measure.

Companies purchase hotel rooms from hotels at wholesale rates and sell them at marked up rates to consumers.  The Companies collect amounts sufficient to pay these taxes – based on the retail amount charged to the consumer – from the renters of the hotel rooms, but then fail to remit the full amount owed to Hawai‘i.

This Sunday, March 27, the NRA's state association, the Hawaii Rifle Association (HRA), will be hosting its annual members meeting at the Kokohead Shooting Complex at the "LIFE" shooting bay (first action shooting bay). 

• Senate: Additional Continuing Appropriations, 2011
• House: Additional Continuing Appropriations, 2011
  House: NSP Termination Act
  House: NPR Federal Funding Ban
  House: Afghanistan Withdrawal resolution

The new benefit agreement covers a term from January 1, 2011 to October 31, 2014 and includes changes to medical, dental and vision plans and increased employee contributions and changes to retirement benefits for employees commencing employment on or after May 1, 2011.

NotHaus is co-founder of the Royal Hawaiian Mint and creator of the Free Marijuana Church of Honolulu.  NotHaus also produced the Ron Paul Dollar. 

HCF is providing a $3 million grant for this new initiative from the Omidyar Ohana Fund, a donor advised fund established through the support of Pierre and Pam Omidyar.  The grant is in part conditioned upon monies from Senate Bill 1287/House Bill 1060, currently being considered by legislators, as well as future legislation which together will provide the majority of the funding for the transformation effort.

When the people of Hawaii voted for change in November, they voted to end a policy that said all people must fend for themselves.  They rejected the status quo where we fail to invest in ourselves; where we ignore long-term problems for political convenience; where we make government the enemy of the people instead of the instrument for reaching our goals; where political drama and private interests drown out the voices of the majority; where we stoke distrust and disdain for one another instead of treating each other with fairness and respect.

The war of each against all, which has an iron grip on our country, is coming to an end in Hawaii.

Hawaii. One of the newly open Senate seats where we haven't seen any numbers at all, not even internal polls.  The big question here-does Linda Lingle actually make this competitive or is it an easy keep for Democrats no matter who the Republicans put up.

Although usually benign, KI can be harmful to people with allergies to iodine or shellfish, those with certain skin disorders, or those with thyroid problems. Observed but infrequent side effects of ingesting potassium iodide include nausea, intestinal upset, rashes, inflammation of the salivary glands, and possibly severe allergic reactions.