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Friday, September 28, 2012
September 28, 2012 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 5:34 PM :: 5623 Views

Inouye hides Akaka Bill in Policy Rider -- just after “Grazing Permits”

Ewa House Candidate Manabat Challenged on Residency

Kauai Prosecutor Denies Perjury Plot: Says Mayor, County Attorneys Peddling Influence

Coffman, Bateman To Debate One-On-One for House 5 Seat

PBS Debate: Council Berg vs Pine and House Au vs Saiki

Duke Aiona Endorses Richard Fale for HD 47

Hawaii Family Forum Needs Your Help

Supreme Court Denies City's Motion For Reconsideration in Rail Case

Djou says he would ‘clean house’ at University of Hawaii

PBN: In answer to a question from PBN editors and reporters Thursday, the Republican candidate described the situation at UH as a mess as administrators try to deal with the fallout from the failed bid to hold a Stevie Wonder fundraising concert to benefits the Athletics Department.

“Everyone is pointing fingers,” he said. “I don’t think it’s unreasonable to clean the Board of Regents and the senior management of UH. Instead, put in individuals who are competent.”

Djou emphasized he has no role in fixing the issue, and would not interfere with UH if he is elected to Congress.

If elected, Djou noted that his first priority would be to re-introduce a balanced budget amendment. Djou had introduced a similar amendment during his 2010 congressional term….

SA: NCAA's inquiry of UH Point Shaving rolls on

read … New Broom Sweeps Clean

Borreca: Mafia Don Greenwood Should Be Fired

Borreca: When asked about allegations of implied political pressure from Gov. Neil Abercrombie and legislative leaders, Greenwood sounded like a Mafia don appearing before a congressional committee.

"I've said enough. If you want more, senator, you're going to have to put me under oath," Greenwood said.

This was right after she acknowledged, "My job is on the line," as the public furor over the mishandled concert and the bumbling attempts to remove Jim Donovan, former UH athletic director, who was involved with the concert, increased….

The majority of UH regents have been appointed by the current governor, so it is up to Abercrombie or his representatives to "show leadership," as Kim is requesting, and reshape the Board of Regents and UH administration.

(Borreca is often used as a conduit for Inouye’s office. Greenwood was Inouye’s pick. So now Inouye has turned against Greenwood. That’s what she gets for failing to deliver on the telescope projects.)

read … Inouye Dumps Greenwood

Caldwell Criminal Collusion With PRP?

CB: But footage used by PRP in the new ad appears to have come from Caldwell's campaign. PRP isn't saying where the footage came from, and Caldwell has denied any involvement.

In fact, his camp has said the footage, which comes from his 2010 bid for Honolulu mayor, was never authorized to be distributed.

Caldwell is prominently featured in the new ad, which also directs barbs at Cayetano over illegal campaign contributions and a pay-to-play culture. There are several shots of Caldwell talking on the phone, posing for pictures with a family and working inside of his law firm.

Cayetano said he usually walks out of the room when a PRP ad comes on. But when Civil Beat spoke with him about the latest ad Thursday, he noted the proximity between Caldwell and those associated with the carpenters union consortium.

He also said any collaboration between the two would go against campaign spending rules, something both PRP and Caldwell continue to criticize him about.

“That would clearly be more than irony," Cayetano said. "That would be a violation of the law.”….

Caldwell’s campaign spokeswoman Glenna Wong reiterated that there was no collaboration with PRP.

“We don’t have anything to do with the advertisement,” she said. “I guarantee you it didn’t come from us. We do not communicate or associate with PRP. We have a very strict rule.”

She said the footage of Caldwell in the PRP ad “shocked” her, and that the videos are from his unsuccessful campaign to become mayor in 2010. Caldwell lost that election to current mayor Peter Carlisle.

“I don’t know how PRP got it,” Wong said. “We did not authorize the sale or distribution of that footage.”

CB: PRP Spends $500K In a Week

read … New PRP Ad Clouds Caldwell's Campaign

Sign of Impending Defeat, Inouye Wades in to Faltering Hirono Campaign

KITV: Sen. Inouye says the video has given him incentive to tape his own commercial for Mazie Hirono, which he'll do when he returns to Hawaii from Washington. And he wants to be clear. "My name is Daniel K. Inouye, and I do not approve this message," said Inouye of the Lingle video….

The Lingle Campaign took the video of its website on Sunday and are no longer promoting it. It is still up on the popular video sharing website Vimeo in what is called a "repository of videos from the campaign."

Politico: Hirono Young Ad Unforgettable

read … About Inouye’s next big electoral defeat

To help 43 PR staff, UH hired 2 consultants for $150K

HNN: The University of Hawaii has hired two public relations firms with contracts worth $150,000 to supplement the work of 13 PR people already on the UH system payroll. More than 30 other UH public relations staffers work on other UH campuses and at different UH schools statewide.

That information was revealed after UH provided Hawaii News Now documents in response to public records requests.

UH President MRC Greenwood told senators Monday there are 13 people in her office working in public relations, down from 20 in 2003 during the time of previous UH President Evan Dobelle.

"It doesn't necessarily mean that you're staffed the way you might want to be for crisis management when you have a crisis. It is sometimes cheaper for us to contract with outside folks who've had that experience than it is to maintain that staff," Greenwood said.

And that's what UH has done, hiring the PR firm Bright Light Marketing for up to $124,500 on a one-year contract to handle communications for the UH's planned bio safety lab in Kalaeloa, which operates under the UH medical school, where just one full-time PR staffer is on the payroll.

A second PR contract with a firm called Hoakea Communications is for up to $25,000, a flat fee of $2,500 a month.

read … Your Tuition Dollars at Work

"Wonder Blunder" Entertainment Promoter Invited To Appear Before Senate Committee

HR: A local entertainment promoter at the center of the “Wonder Blunder” fundraiser fiasco at the University of Hawaii has been “invited to appear” before a state Senate committee investigating the matter.

Robert Peyton, head of Bob Peyton Entertainment Corp. and BPE Productions, Inc., worked with the UH Athletics Department to stage a fundraising concert last month by singer/songwriter Stevie Wonder….

Peyton’s lawyer, Ken Kuniyuki, did not respond to questions late Thursday afternoon about whether Peyton will speak to the panel.

Peyton reportedly arranged with a Miami-based firm, Epic Talent, LLC, to book Wonder for the Aug. 18 event that was meant to raise funds for the UH Athletics Department.

The UH $200,000 deposit was wired to a bank account in Florida and Peyton reportedly also wired $50,000 to the same account.

HNN: Three UH regents, promoter invited to testify in State Senate Wonder blunder probe

read … Promoter

SA: DoE Should Actually Do Something About Truancy

SA: the numbers are startling. At 26 high schools or multilevel schools with high school grades, one-fifth or more of the students were chronically absent, meaning they have missed 15 or more days. And 51 elementary schools mirror that 20 percent absentee rate.

At individual schools the picture is far bleaker. Waianae High is grappling with the most shocking conditions statewide: 815 students, or 48 percent of the school's population, missed at least 15 days of the 180-day 2011 school year. Fifteen days is three full weeks. Picture how easy it is to fall behind in a math or science class, or in group projects, in that amount of time and it's easy to see how students start to write themselves off as academic failures.

The DOE, with the prompt of the federal Race to the Top educational reforms, has greatly improved its tracking system, enabling faculty and administrators to flag students when a pattern of truancy starts to take shape. Further, moves to overhaul the federal No Child Left Behind law are hardening the mandate on schools to manage this problem.

read … Yeah, like write an RFP for a study

Only 38% of DoE Students Taking AP Exams Pass

SA: Mililani, Radford, Campbell and Leilehua high schools received the three-year, $450,000 grants in the 2011-12 school year as part of a public-private partnership aimed at helping schools with large populations of children from military families.

The funds allowed the schools to increase the number of students taking AP courses in math, science or English, to 1,096 this year from 691 in 2011 — an increase of 58 percent.

Meanwhile, the number of students receiving scores high enough on AP exams to receive college credit rose 68 percent, from 247 students in the 2010-11 school year to 415 in 2012.

Students also had an incentive: Pass the AP exam and get $100. Teachers got $100 for each of their students who passed and a $1,000 bonus if they met a personal passing-rate goal.

The recent gains are part of wider efforts to increase AP course offerings at schools statewide. Last school year, 4,530 Hawaii public school students took AP courses, according to preliminary numbers, up from 2,932 four years earlier.

2011: 247/691 = 36%

2012: 415/1096 = 38%

read … Federal Funds for Military Families

DOE's chief financial officer says old technology is hindering department efforts to operate efficiently

SA: Q: Is it true that you guys are doing the payroll by hand?

A: Yes, we actually are doing payroll by hand. We take greenbar paper and cross it out if there’s any gross pay changes.

Q: The state comptroller earlier this year was saying there were a lot of state employees who are getting overpaid, and a lot of this money is uncollectable. And, of course, with DOE having the most salaried employees, it had the largest overpayment amounts. Is this something that you’re addressing? Can you do anything about that before your technology is upgraded?

A: Yes, for sure, and we have taken steps to better control this situation. Again, because all of our systems are manual, we’re dependent on having a piece of paper submitted to tell us if someone is no longer employed or has lost or has changed positions. So with it being so manual or paper-based, honestly, sometimes they will get lost or we don’t receive them timely. In some cases, people continue to be paid while we are waiting for that form to be submitted. We have put in some procedures, we’ve increased out training to the field, so that we now have implemented “Call payroll.” If somebody leaves, call payroll so that we can immediately make the adjustment and then reconcile it back to make sure that paper was actually submitted at a later date.

Q: What was your reaction to the recent internal audit of the purchasing policies at DOE, which as you know, has suffered from cases recently of employee embezzlement, some of it quite substantial? Beyond your reaction to that, is that a function of the financial systems that you have?

A: Some of it, because some of our controls are basically paper-based. Any new enterprise resource planning system has a lot of these processes and controls built into the system. We’re trying to implement those controls based on people and paper, so it is sometimes hard to monitor.

…we’re looking to always increase training of a huge undertaking that we started with SASA Academy — SASA is the School Administrative Services Assistants. They’re our fiscal people at the school level, and they’ve had very little training, so we launched this SASA academy to train them on everything about what to do on their jobs, which is a very long list.

First it was, basically, what is the role of the SASA? Then we’re going to do required procurement training, starting in October. And then there’s everything from payroll to budgeting, how to run reports on the system. So it’s a real comprehensive … there’s hundreds of things that we’re training the SASAs. It’s a big step for us because right now everything is just in a binder that they have to go reference….

 

read … DoE Doesn't Know ADP

 

 

Cayetano transit plan for Honolulu would use train-like buses

PBN: Cayetano dubbed his plan, which would add 36 buses that resemble trains rather than city buses, “Flexible, Affordable, Smart Transportation,” or “FAST.”

Cayetano developed it in conjunction with University of Hawaii professor Panos Prevedouros, who specializes in traffic engineering and analysis. The system would work like bus rapid transit systems in Los Angeles, Minneapolis and elsewhere, Cayetano said.

“The concept of BRT has been exploding,” Cayetano said. “This is not very expensive to do.”

HR: Mayor, Council Chairman Give Thumbs-Down to Cayetano Plan

SA: The anti-rail candidate's $1.1 billion FAST proposal creates dedicated bus lanes and underpasses in key spots

read … Panos

Cayetano, Caldwell get down to business

PBN: The two men vying to be Honolulu’s next mayor say they have several ideas on how to make Oahu more business-friendly, and they agree their plans should include more than just finding ways to attract more tourists to the island….

But in recent interviews with PBN, they spent most of their time talking about their ideas beyond rail, which range from ways to attract new businesses and improve the permitting process to boosting sewer and water capacity and working more closely with businesses on major projects.

Cayetano said the City and County of Honolulu needs more economic diversity. He doesn’t want to see a lot of new hotel construction, but he did say he supports plans by resort owners to improve their existing properties, especially since that could boost property tax revenues.

When it comes to growing the economy beyond tourism, Cayetano told PBN that the growth has to be compatible with Hawaii. He joked that something like the London Eye — the giant Ferris wheel near Big Ben — wouldn’t work because it doesn’t fit with the island’s scenery.

“The challenge is to find opportunities that create good-paying nontourism jobs,” Cayetano said.

read … Business

Kawauchi Unveils Strategy to Thwart Old Boy Sabotage

HTH: County Clerk Jamae Kawauchi said additional staff will be hired as “troubleshooters,” responsible for assisting precincts on election day, and for the deployment of election material.

Additionally, precinct boxes, containing basic materials for election day such as pencils and paper, may be sent to precinct chairs as early as next week, she said. Precinct cans, which contain more sensitive information such as voter rolls, may be distributed as early as four days before the election rather than election day itself.

Misdelivery of those items during the Aug. 11 primary proved to be a major disruption for the election, causing over a dozen polling places, many in West Hawaii, to open late. An unidentified person with “many years of experience working in elections” will also be added as a precinct official assigned to assist the leeward side, Kawauchi said.

read … Preparing

Hawaii Voter ID Moves to Conform to Federal Law

DN: I learned at an ACLU press briefing this morning that the voter ID law in Hawaii is changing this year (actually, and more accurately, Hawaii is going to conform to the federal law).

For the first time, anyone who registers to vote or votes for the first time, as confirmed just now by a phone call to our Office of elections, must supply a valid government ID or some proof of address such as utility bills.

Not too bad. But search the Office of Elections website for the information. It doesn’t appear to be there.

Even clicking on the “Voter Registration” link fails to mention the new requirement. Instead, it refers to filling out an “affidavit” asserting residency.

The chances are that few people will be negatively affected. But a senior citizen living in a care facility might not have either state ID or a utility bill to show.

(This could cause a problem for Romy Cachola in his voter assistance efforts.)

read … Voter Fraud

Kauai Council OKs additional $20K for Special Counsel for OPA

KGI: Taxpayers’ money that has already been approved to be spent on private attorneys’ fees on matters related to POHAKU (Productive Optimism Helps All Kaua‘i) diversionary program keeps snowballing: It is now at $35,000.

The Kaua‘i County Council on Wednesday approved up to $20,000 for special counsel’s continued representation of the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney concerning POHAKU and related matters. Earlier this year, the council had approved $15,000 for the same purpose.

After nearly two hours in an executive session behind closed doors, the council returned to open session to vote on the County Attorney’s Office request for up to $15,000 from OPA.

The County Attorney’s Office represents all county departments. However, earlier this year, County Attorney Al Castillo asked the council to hire special counsel for OPA because his office conflicted out with the prosecuting attorney in matters related to POHAKU, according to Councilman Tim Bynum.

read … Council OKs additional $20K for Special Counsel for OPA

Ualena Street companies accuse state of business discrimination

HNN: In a letter dated September 17, the State Department of Transportation informed tenants that on October 1 appraisers will begin assessing the worth of eleven properties on the makai side of Ualena Street.

Some small businesses fear it's the beginning of the end. Tenants will be offered lease renewals but only if they agree to lease an entire parcel.

"We're a small business. We can't afford to pay the big rents. We can't afford to be one tenant. So it's not fair because they are offering leases. We know they're offering leases," said William Swider of TDK Autobody and Paint.

About twenty businesses sublease space on Ualena. Unless they pay for a whole lot, they'll have to clear out by December 30.

read ... State Harassment

Pine vs Berg on PBS

HNN: Rail was the primary topic at the forum put on by PBS Hawaii, but Tom Berg and Kymberly Pine also got personal.

"We've got city council men calling the police on him cause they fear for their life, then you have a problem if no one wants to talk to you then how are you gonna get things for our district," said Kymberly Pine, Honolulu City Council candidate.

read … Pine vs Berg

Prosecutor Seizes ‘Gambling Machines’ Authorized by Liquor Commission

SA: Honolulu Prosecutor Keith Kane­shiro has scheduled a news conference today to explain the police seizure Thursday of numerous sweepstakes machines, which were approved for use in bars but are now considered alleged gambling devices.

A spokesman for the prosecutor’s office would not comment Thursday on why police raided six establishments when the Hono­lulu Liquor Commission had approved the devices for use in liquor establishments.

Vice officers raided all six locations of Winner’z Zone, a chain of arcades, seizing Products Direct Sweepstakes machines as alleged gambling machines.

read … Gambling?

Federal grand jury hands down indictment in fatal Waikele fireworks blast

HNN: More than a year after a fireworks explosion claimed the lives of five men, a federal grand jury has handed down a 21-count indictment against their employer for allegedly disposing fireworks without a permit, in violation of federal law.

The indictment filed Thursday names Donaldson Enterprises Incorporated, along with the company's director of operations Charles Donaldson, and project manager Carlton Finley, as defendants in the case….

According to the indictment, DEI had a 90-day temporary emergency permit to dispose of fireworks, but the permit expired on September 5, 2010….

Counts 2 through 21 of the indictment alleges that DEI, Donaldson and Finley knowingly treated the fireworks without a permit -- one count for each time that the company's employees entered the bunker, starting with September 14 and ending with April 8, the day of the fatal explosion.

Previous story: Blast victim's family anxious for answers

read … Indictments

Aina Koa Pono Pitches Biofool Project

CB: (Lets just skip to the comments)

Henry Curtis: "Yes, there is a cost—electric bills will be higher for a while—a dollar or less for a typical monthly [Big Island] 500 to 600 KWh user. " and a $100,000,000.00 subsidy by Oahu ratepayers. The exact amount is hidden because HECO will not permit the figure to be released.

Richard Ha: “Yesterday, at the Think Tech energy presentation, Rep Cynthia Thielen talked about ocean thermal that is projected to cost less than 5 cents per kilowatt hour. Geothermal steam electricity costs is around 10 cents per Kilowatt hour. Electricity generated from oil is more than 20 cents per kilowatt hour. AKP electricity is higher. how much higher? it's a secret.”

read … Some AKP Propaganda

Company Tries to Score in Kauai Hydro Development

PBN: An ongoing struggle between Pacific Light & Power Inc. and Kauai Island Utility Cooperative regarding who gets to develop a $30 million hydroelectric power plant on Kauai is likely to end up being decided by the state Public Utilities Commission.

Both the utility and the Kauai-based renewable-energy company hope to develop the Kokee Ditch project, which sits on state land on Kauai’s west side.

Earlier this year, Pacific Light & Power received Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approval to be the developer of power that uses the Kokee Ditch’s water system.

But as with any energy developer, Pacific Light & Power still has to have the well-wishes of KIUC if it plans to enter into a power-purchase agreement with the utility.

And the KIUC has a partnership with Boston-based Free Flow Power to develop a series of hydro projects, including one that uses the Kokee Ditch….

“If it doesn’t work out, [working with the] Pacific Missile Range Facility would be another option,” Pacific Light & Power President and CEO Palo Luckett told PBN. “We have also been meeting with [the Naval Facilities Engineering Command for opportunities].”

read … Sandwich Profits

Hawaii Attorney To Speak at Property Rights Conference

PR: “I’m honored to be included with such a distinguished group of property law scholars to speak on this important topic,” said Thomas. “When the economy turns downward, the temptation is to throw out long-standing rules, and look for new and perhaps radical solutions.” One of the proposals that Thomas will discuss is the effort to get local governments to condemn “underwater” mortgages by eminent domain, in order to lower homeowners’ debt. “I have grave doubts about both the legality and the wisdom of this proposal,” he notes. “My talk will focus on how property rights should not be casually tossed aside when times get tight.”

read … news release

Atheist Confab Slated for Honolulu

HNN: Richard Dawkins will kick off his new US tour in Honolulu next month at locally organized event “Shaka Con,” the first Freethought convention held in Hawaii. Dawkins and Sean Faircloth of the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science will be the keynote speakers. “This is a chance for local groups to get together and discuss reason-based solutions for real problems,” said David Tveraas, Executive Director of the Hawaii Citizens for the Separation of State and Church.

Shaka Con will take place Oct. 3, 2012, at Aloha Tower Marketplace Pier 10. Doors will open at 6 p.m., and the event will end at 9 p.m….

Shaka Con is sponsored by Hawaii Pacific University and the Secular Student Alliance at HPU.

Marching Orders: National ACLU Boss Briefs Honolulu Media on Litigation

Danger: Women Chased from Atheist Confab by Sexual Harassment

read … About People Who Think the Possess Reason

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