...spending per privately insured beneficiary in the highest spending HRR (Napa, CA) was $5,515.95, more than three times as high as spending in the lowest spending HRR (Honolulu, HI), which spent $1,707.38 per person....

Representative Gene Ward addresses the Shield Law with Dr. Gerald Kato, UH Associate Professor, Journalism and Jeffrey S. Portnoy, Partner, Cades Schutte LLP....

With more than half of all adults in the U.S. being single....

The comparative survey of economic freedom is based on ten different factors in the areas of government spending, taxes, and labor market freedom....

"Changing their own rules multiple times further erodes the credibility Nai Aupuni has with the Hawaiian people, who have been clear in their opposition to the state's nation-building process...."

Nai Aupuni is going to try to write and approve a Tribal Constitution at the fake 'Aha.  Then they will try to put it to a vote so Obama can 'recognize' them.  Then the Hawaiian patrimony can be split between the Feds and Hawaii political insiders....

...U.S. Navy’s newest ship suffered a main engine causality on her maiden voyage and had to be towed 40 nautical miles to port....

.. but since 100% renewable doesn't really mean 100% renewable, what does 21.2% renewable mean? ...

"In Hawaii, we have assembled a campaign Leadership Committee to harness all of the support we are receiving."

Hawaii’s tax on Internet access, as well as those of six other states and their localities, will end by mid-year of 2020 if a congressional plan to permanently ban taxes on Internet access makes its way to the president’s desk....

...The number of homeless residents per capita is highest in Honolulu....

Pig hunting in this case involved dogs and a knife, not guns....

ENV relied on the contractor, consultants, and external law firms to establish reasonable pricing and did not solicit or obtain open, competitive bids from other contractors....

"...the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) proposed rule would unethically terminate Native Hawaiian rights to millions of acres of Hawaiian 'Aina...."

Students often owed $40,000 or more in college loans – holding a degree they claimed was inadequate at best....

The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday December 17 at 3:30 p.m....

...the open application period for medical marijuana dispensary licenses shall begin...on January, 12, 2016, and close on January 29, 2016....

In July, 2015, chaos erupts at the progressive NetRoots Nation conference in Phoenix, Arizona....

Next year will see some easing of visitor growth....

Common Core is being redefined as social-emotional learning, which must come first in the learning hierarchy — with academics taking a backseat....

Under the IT governance process, projects must pass several review “gates” during four key phases....

Medicare will lower all its payments to the penalized hospitals by 1 percent over the course of the federal fiscal year, which runs through September 2016....

In Hawaii, single parents with two children pay about 64% of their income for infant child care, nearly the same as married couple families at the poverty line with two children....

The Every Student Succeeds Act passed the Senate by a margin of 85 – 12 and in the U.S. House by a vote of 359-64 in late November (this included every Democrat who voted in both the House and Senate)....

Rep. Pitts is building momentum within Congress to reform this archaic depression-era corporate welfare package....

...our monthly premium is going up over $200 – an increase of 34%. To be able to afford health insurance, we are downgrading our health care plan....

...according to United Health Foundation’s America’s Health Rankings® Annual Report....

Big Island customers could save as much as $113 million on the existing HELCO rate base and up to $234 million including investments to modernize the grid over a four-year period....

The bill will be introduced during the upcoming 2016 legislative session....

Why They Now Deserve Everyone’s Thanks....

The Office of the Governor is looking for individuals who are dedicated to continuing the State of Hawaii’s momentum toward a strong and sustainable future....

...nearly a third of all annual giving taking place in December....

...teaching Cronyism 101....

...held Dec. 12, 2015 at the Pearl City High School cafeteria, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m....

This year’s report measures state progress against a set of 32 policy goals....

The U.S. Supreme Court is now considering that question in a Texas case in which Hawaii’s decades-long exclusion of active-duty military and families from the body politic is front and center....

The PBN did not disclose the source of the newly “reported” Inouye letter....

At a time of dwindling inventory and rising prices, housing affordability has once again become a hot topic in Hawaii....

• Senate: Budget Reconciliation 
• Senate: Surface Transportation Reauth
• House: Fiscal 2016 Intelligence Authorization
• House: EPA Existing Power Plant Rule Disapproval  
• House: EPA New and Retrofitted Power Plant Rule Disapproval
• House: K-12 Education Reauthorization 
• House: Energy Security and Infrastructure Overhaul
• House: Surface Transportation Reauthorization

Tomorrow, the US Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in two election law cases, Evenwel v. Abbott, No. 14-940, and Harris v. Arizona Ind. Redistricting Comm'n, No. 14-232....

The FEC claims authority over regulating press coverage of elections....

Former Hawaii PUC chair Morita vies for Kauai utility board seat....

U.S. Soccer has cancelled the U.S. Women’s National Team Victory Tour match scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 6, at Aloha Stadium....

...Uncle Sam is giving us money. But we are not spending that money so the federal agencies are saying, “Looks like you don’t need this, so why should we give you any more?”....