Entries for March 2013

Does your street show up on the alphabetical list of  “failed” or “serious” streets? Find out here ....

...six criteria on which each state could be evaluated, based on six of the Ten Principles for Opening Up Government Information....

"Some of our manufacturers say they’ve seen a 15 percent increase in sales of products they have labeled."

The bill has been referred to the House Public Safety, Judiciary, and Finance committees....

The nonprofit State-based Exchange is seeking a customer service partner that knows how to service Hawai‘i’s residents, and that can bring strong capabilities that will enable a seamless customer experience....

• Senate: Committee Funding Resolution – Amendment Vote
• Senate: CIA Director Nomination – Confirmation
• House: Disaster Response and Preparedness – Suspension
• House: FY 2013 Continuing Appropriations

Drug companies have long kept secret details of the payments they make to doctors and other health professionals for promoting their drugs....

America is set to become a net natural gas exporter by 2020 and virtually self-sufficient in energy by 2035....

Question: Is Hawaii providing this information to investors?

Delegates to the conference talked about whether to “keep or dump” North Korea and debated whether China, as a major power, should “fight or talk” with the North....

It’s been four years since the U.S. had a real budget. While the House of Representatives has passed budgets, the Senate has stopped each one....

For the last two months, taxpayers heard time and time again that the “sky is falling, the sky is falling”....

...10 issues, large and small, in which government is intruding more into our lives and our businesses....

“Many of these priority projects require matching state funds to access federal dollars, secured before sequestration...."

Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI) fails to satisfy all three pillars of sustainability....

...direct flights to Hawaii will exceed 2.6 M for the three month period between February and April 2013. This is an increase of more than 11%....

We analyzed the data to bring you a list of the ten absolute worst U.S. cities to drive a car according to the following three questions....

In the 1990s, insurance schemes pushed managed care and restricted networks. Some evidence suggests that insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act will be equally restrictive and paltry....

Students using Army Tuition Assistance (TA) must register in GoArmyEd before NOON Hawaii Standard Time (HST) Friday, March 8 at which time it will be suspended....

Last summer, the Obama Administration gutted the successful 1996 welfare reform law by offering to waive its work requirements. Now the debate is back, as several Members of Congress are trying to restore the reforms that helped so many out of poverty....

GAO is now indicating that they will issue their long awaiting report on the economic impact of the Jones Act on Puerto Rico, on Thursday, March 14, 2013....

...the environmental lawyers upped the ante by calling Callies a liar and a sell-out....

"...however you manage that reduction, you need to make sure you are not contradicting what we said the impact would be....” 

A federal consultant says this area likely contains hundreds if not thousands of Hawaiian burials ....

Leopold served in the Hawaii State legislature 1970-78.  He was also the State Director for Planned Parenthood while in Hawaii.  He then relocated to MD....

...

“In a tribal court, Constitutional protections and the Bill of Rights do not apply. Under the bill, a non-Indian citizen tried in a tribal court has no right to appeal to a federal court, lacks the guarantee of due process, has no right to an impartial trial by jury of one’s peers, and more."

Brennan is being savaged for being the originator of and prime mover behind the overuse of drones and for ignoring the ideological basis (radical Islam) of the terrorists the U.S. is now facing....

Ahead of the First Crossover deadline, the Hawaii State Senate passed 348 bills during Tuesday’s session.  The bills now head over to the House for consideration....

Where does Honolulu rank among 300 cities? It ranks 284th for the 1993 to 2007 period, and 217th for the 2007 to 2011 period....

The meeting is being held in response to public comments we have received regarding Bank of Hawaii's planned closure of its branch offices in American Samoa....

The parties are negotiating a 2013-15 contract....

We have presented our technology to and proposed a strategic relationship with various state agencies in the State of Hawaii, which closely aligns itself with Governor Neil Abercrombie’s “New Day in Hawaii” initiative....

UH boosted its annual bite on students 108%....

Both bills state in the preamble that the emergency contraceptive "is not an abortion pill" and "is not an abortifacient." That seemingly simple, and untrue statement, nullifies any protection that a federal conscience exemption might have provided....

"HUD evictees will be made into instant criminals...."

...we are one step closer to ensuring that the beverage tax is defeated for the third year in a row....

SB 894 would authorize the state to expend funds, swap land and explore other solutions to help preserve Turtle Bay lands.  This bill can be brought back next year, if negotiations fail, or to implement terms of an agreement....

...

Numerous truckloads of rocks with an estimated value of around $6,000 were allegedly removed from the property between June 27 and July 4, 2011, and were reportedly to be used to build a rock wall on Sagum’s property....

See the full list of bills crossed over to the Senate ....

Chavez’s death has far-reaching—and potentially dangerous—implications for the U.S. and the world....

...Ram, who was involved in agricultural research with the University of Hawaii, used threats, coercion, physical force and psychological abuse to carry out his acts of sexual abuse and to keep John Doe No. 8, and his adopted brothers, from reporting the abuse....

Do you think of teenagers flipping burgers? Or a single parent trying to feed several kids?

When the state purchased the Securities, they were rated “AAA,” which is the highest investment rating. While the state held the Securities, the state received all of the principal and interest payments due on the Securities....

More than 200 bills will be up for vote next Tuesday and Thursday as the Hawaii State Legislature heads for the First Crossover deadline on March 7....

• Senate: Hagel Nomination – Confirmation
• Senate: Lew Nomination – Confirmation
• Senate: Republican Sequester Alternative –
• Senate: Democratic Sequester Alternative
• House: Gender-based Violence Prevention –

SB 69 will require fingerprinting and NICS checks in addition to the already existing registration requirement on ALL firearms brought into the state....

The hearing was full of people who are against religious freedom.  One individual even stated that if Christians have a problem with it, they shouldn’t work in an emergency room....

...measures approved by the House several focused on sustainability, the environment, the economy, healthy living....